By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist

I could tell by her voice over the telephone that it was something serious. Valerie Yatomi had just come back from lunch last Friday. "There was a sign on the door, 'Closed on Monday until further notice,' " she said. Then it all came out: a tale of how the best things in life can turn to dust. "The cook is quitting," Valerie said painfully.

Valerie is one of the most devoted fans of the BWS cafeteria. That's BWS as in Board of Water Supply on Beretania Street. The cafeteria is on the roof — a big, bare room with metal tables and chairs.

Why should the closing of a rooftop cafeteria break her heart? It's because each Friday the BWS cafeteria serves broke da mout' beef stew for only $4.25. As if that isn't bad enough, Valerie will miss the fabulous oxtail soup on Thursdays for, can you believe this, $6.50.

I immediately recognized a story that goes to the heart of Our Honolulu. I grabbed a notebook and hiked over to the Board of Water Supply. Sure enough, there was the cafeteria, open for business but with a sign, "Closing until further notice." A diner was eating a huge bowl of beef stew that smelled like heaven. He's Ken Takemoto, in design/construction at the Municipal Building.

How long has he been eating at the BWS cafeteria? "Let's see, before my daughter was born, about 1985."

Nearby was Linda Hayashi, who works in the state Department of Accounting and General Services. Linda said that the hamburger steak at the BWS cafeteria is sensational and that the Hawaiian plate is something else. "It's nice and juicy," she explained.

Chuckie Nishimura was sitting over by the window. He said he was working at the state Capitol about 1982 when he discovered the hamburger steak at the BWS cafeteria. Nishimura calls ahead on Fridays to reserve a bowl of beef stew because the cook often runs out.

Now that he's retired, Nishimura drives over from Salt Lake to dine at the BWS cafeteria. His retired friend drives over from Hawai'i Kai.

By this time the cook, Howard Kaneshiro, had finished cleaning the kitchen. He came out to sit and talk. I asked Kaneshiro why he's quitting.

"I'm not quitting, I'm going to take a rest for about two weeks," he said. Kaneshiro explained that in the past his brother, Roy, usually cooks while he rests. But this time brother wants to rest, too. So they are closing the cafeteria for a while.

"You didn't say that on your sign that you're only closing for two weeks," I told him. "You scared everybody." Kaneshiro shrugged. He didn't seem to appreciate the impact he has made on the taste buds of Our Hono-lulu.

I went back to the office and called Valerie. She was ecstatic to learn that the beef stew will be back in March. "I'm going to e-mail everybody in the building," she said.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.